It's almost that time of year when you unearth your boat from its winter lodgings and start getting it in shape for a summer of problem-free boating. You have the best of intentions, naturally, but there are always a few things you forget. Here's a list of seven engine-related projects that should ensure a smooth and happy engine all season long.

1. Change The 'Other' Oil.
Everyone knows that the engine oil should be changed regularly, along with the oil filter. And most of the time you aren't more than a year past the recommended interval. But it's easy to completely forget the 'other' oil. Where is it? It's in your drive system.

Both sterndrives and outboards have lower units with entirely separate oil from the engine block. Before changing the lower unit oil, check for water (a milky-white look signals a leaking seal) and fix that problem before it leads to others.

If you have an inboard engine, you also have a transmission that uses oil, and it needs to be changed just like your engine oil. Check your manual for the hour interval and the proper type of lubricant needed for your transmission.

2. Get Wired.
You may not realize it, but spark plug wires literally wear out. They have to put up with heat, vibration and humidity, so it's no surprise they don't last forever.

The first sign your wires are due for replacement is that they'll feel stiff. You might even see tiny cracks in the outer casing of the wires, or they may have become kinked from bending a certain way. Want some simple advice? Just replace the plug wires every year. They're not expensive, and in many cases your boat will have renewed power from getting the full electrical charge to the spark plugs.

If, however, you're pinching pennies, start your engine at night and look into the engine compartment. In the darkness, you may see a fluttering blue glow on some of the wires. That's your power leaking away through cracks. Now go change the plug wires.

3. Rub-A-Dub, 12 Volts In A Tub.
Your battery is crucial, not just for starting the engine, but for running all your other systems when the engine is turned off. So it deserves better care than you're probably giving it.

For example, when did you last give your battery a bath? Tsk, tsk. You know that whitish corrosion that forms on the terminals and spreads across the top of the battery? If you leave that alone long enough, it acts just like a wire from one terminal to the other, draining your battery in no time at all.

The solution is simple: a mixture of baking soda and water combined to form a mushy paste that you brush onto the battery (keep it away from the cells, of course). You'll see that white powder dissolve away just like on those laundry detergent commercials. Rinse the battery thoroughly with fresh water, and as long as you don't leave your lights on, you won't have to deal with a dead battery.

4. Get A Trim.
With all the other projects on your boat, it's easy to overlook the tilt and trim system on your sterndrive or outboard. You should make sure there is sufficient hydraulic fluid in the reservoirs to power those mechanisms. You should also trace the fluid lines right down to the rams. It's important that you take the time to examine the rams for telltale weeping, which signals a seal that has gone south. Get this fixed so you don't dump toxins in the water, and also so you'll have tilt or trim when you need it.

If you have an inboard, you probably have trim tabs, and you need to perform the same test from reservoir to rams.

5. The Sniff Test.
If you've got an electronic fume sniffer, you might not be worrying about gas leaks. But no matter how much faith you put in modern electronics, the fact of the matter is that the human nose, colds and sinus problems aside, is far better at detecting fuel leaks than any black box.

Before you launch your boat, play bloodhound and give your fuel tank and fuel lines a thorough sniffing. Don't forget to go up the inlet hose to the filler as well as back to the engine.

If you get the faintest whiff of that telltale scent of gasoline, do what cops tell suspects to do: Step away from the boat. Go find professional help and don't switch any electrical systems on or off.

6. Fill Your Boat With Water.
Well, not exactly. But do make sure the freshwater cooling system in your engine is filled and ready for the summer. You probably didn't know that water wears out, and actually, it doesn't. It's the antifreeze ' that strange-smelling greenish stuff ' that wears out.

Antifreeze, more properly called coolant solution, is full of chemicals that insulate your engine from corrosion, lubricate moving parts and generally protect the cooling system. That's why you're not supposed to fill your cooling system with just water.

As a precaution, it's a good idea to drain your cooling system (if it wasn't empty for winter storage) and start with a new mixture of coolant and water.

7. Don't Be Shiftless.
You'll probably remember to check your hydraulic steering, but when was the last time you paid any attention to your shift or throttle cables, except to swear at them when they were sticky and you almost banged the dock last summer?

Now is a good time to get rid of that stiffness by lubricating everything from the levers at the helm to the sliding rods at the engine. There are so many different systems that it's hard to offer specific advice. Some have injection points for lubricant, others don't. Check your owner's manual and make your controls slippery smooth for this summer.

So how'd you do? How many of these items were you already planning to check while fitting out your boat for the summer? Yeah, sure, you're on top of it already, right? Good enough, just make sure you hit all seven items for a worry-free start to the new season.

March 2002